updated 09:40 am EST, Thu January 20, 2011

Calendar may hint at iPad 2 reveal

Is slightly extending Ping hooks with iOS 4.3, code from the latter's second betashows. The service will now be able to trigger push notifications on Apple handhelds, presumably to update users on profile activity by friends and artists. As with other apps, people will be able to toggle sounds, alerts and badges for notifications using the appropriate Settings panel.

Another observer meanwhile points out that the iPad Calendar app icon in iOS 4.3 defaults to a 9th, which could suggest a possible announcement date for the next iPad. The current model debuted with a "27" in its calendar, reflecting the January 2010 date the tablet was originally revealed. It's argued therefore that the second-generation iPad could be announced as soon as February 9th; alternately, however, it could simply be an arbitrary date, or a target launch for the v4.3 firmware.